depression

It’s that time of year again to spread joy for all to hear—or so you’re told. Although the holiday season can create happy memories, it can also be a stressful time and leave many with feelings of depression for various reasons.

This week on “Take Care,” Dr. Ken Duckworth talks about holiday depression, what may cause it, and how to support those who suffer from it. Duckworth is the medical director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and is also an assistant clinical professor at Harvard University Medical School.

With symptoms that include fatigue, decreased energy, low appetite and weight loss (or overeating and weight gain), insomnia or oversleeping, and headaches -- depression can be a debilitating medical condition. Fortunately, antidepressants have been around for decades and many have proven effective for patients.

This week on “Take Care,” we speak to Dr. Michael Hirsch about antidepressants. Hirsch is a psychiatrist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. He is also lead editor at the Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry Academy.

Antidepressants have been around for decades, but there is still much confusion about how they work and who should take them. This week on WRVO's health and wellness show “Take Care,” hosts Lorraine Rapp and Linda Lowen speak with Dr. Michael Hirsch, a psychiatrist and psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School about why these drugs are an important tool in fighting depression.

New guidelines suggesting that all children be screened for high cholesterol, depression and HIV are based on research showing rising numbers of kids with those problems, explains Beth Nelsen, a pediatrician at Upstate Medical University.

Ages vary for the screenings -- from 9 to 11 for cholesterol and from 16 to 19 for HIV -- which are updated annually by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Many tests, including for anemia and heart failure, have already been added by pediatricians during checkups, Nelsen says.

Some men with enlarged prostates can be treated with a minimally-invasive surgery that uses a high-powered laser to remove the obstructive portion of the prostate. The procedure, called holmium laser enucleation of the prostate, is now offered by Dr. Jessica Paonessa, an assistant professor of urology at Upstate University Hospital.

“For many men, taking medicine for this condition isn’t something they want to do long term, and for other patients, the medications may not be effective,” Paonessa said. “In these cases, the next step is to remove the obstructive tissue surgically.”

Facebook and the world of social media has given the average person easy access to friends, family and even strangers’ lives with the click of a button or swipe of the thumb. But does having that access make our lives sadder?

This week on “Take Care,” Mai-Ly Nguyen Steers addresses the surprising link between Facebook and depression. Steers is a social psychologist at the University of Houston. Her study, "Seeing Everyone Else's Highlight Reels: How Facebook Usage is Linked to Depressive Symptoms," was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

Americans are spending more and more time on social media. But that can lead to an unexpected impact on the mental health of social media users. This week on WRVO's health and wellness show "take care," hosts Lorraine Rapp and Linda Lowen interview University of Houston social psychologist Mai-Ly Nguyen Steers about her research into the links between Facebook and depression. Steers’ study "Seeing Everyone Else's Highlight Reels: How Facebook Usage is Linked to Depressive Symptoms," was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.

People who walk regularly for exercise may notice that their speed declines and they tire more easily as they age. But is that because they are aging? Could that reduction in pace and energy be slowed or reversed by other types of exercise, like running?

Upstate Medical University exercise physiologist Carol Sames explains how running was found to be more beneficial than walking in a study that compared walkers and runners in Boulder, Colorado. She says running is not appropriate for everyone, and she offers some other ways walkers can add intensity to their workouts.

“Like any other form of medical illness or disease, major depressive disorder results in a good deal of suffering, incapacity and, often, vocational disability,” says psychiatrist Ronald Pies, a professor at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse and Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.

About one in 14 adults in the United States are depressed. That is about 16 million Americans. In addition, some 2 million adolescents from age 12 to 17 deal with depression. Pies says people with depression are at increased risk for cardiovascular disorders, diabetes and suicide.

While someone may successfully fight off a cancer diagnosis, the battle usually doesn’t end there. Cancer survivorship brings with it a number of different issues that may inhibit a person’s ability to return back to a normal life.

While more Americans are being diagnosed with cancer now, more patients are being cured or living chronically with the disease. This week on WRVO's health and wellness show "Take care,” hosts Lorraine Rapp and Linda Lowen speak with Dr. Patricia Ganz, an oncologist and co-founder of the national coalition for cancer survivorship. Dr. Ganz discusses the many health issues that cancer survivors face, and how the medical community is working to address them.

Lorraine Rapp: When we use the term survivor, who are we talking about? Who is included in that group?

Winter in central and northern New York isn’t always as picturesque as some may wish it to be. Daylight is usually gone before the work day is over, flurries have the potential to make any drive difficult, and gray skies often seem like they’re never going away. It’s normal to feel off when the days get shorter, but what happens when these feelings manifest into something much more serious on a yearly basis?

This week on Take Care, Dr. Kelly Rohan discusses the causes and treatments of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Rohan is an expert in SAD and acting director of clinical training in the Department of Psychology at the University of Vermont.

Leaving home for the first time can be very stressful on a child. Whether they are moving away to college or relocating for a job, the process is one of change and readjustment. But the parents who raised that child often have an even more difficult time adjusting -- resulting in what is known as empty nest syndrome.

This week on Take Care, Kimberly Key talks about why empty nest syndrome develops, and how it can be used as a motivator to positively turn someone’s life around. Key is a psychotherapist and a nationally certified counselor who specializes in holistic human development and the founder of Encompass Work & Family, which helps people evolve through life’s stages.

Everyone has something they can’t quite let go, whether it’s all the back issues of their favorite magazine or their favorite sweater from 2003 that no longer fits. What happens when this feeling spreads to many other items as well, to the point where it starts to not only compromise your home, but your daily life as well.

The recent popularity of the A&E reality television show Hoarders has opened up a national conversation on the topic of compulsive hoarding, which many are starting to realize can be a serious psychological issue rather than just a strong feeling of nostalgia towards physical items.

This week on Take Care, Dr. Robin Zasio talks about compulsive hoarding and the treatment process for it. Dr. Zasio is a clinical psychologist that specializes in anxiety disorders. Shehas appeared on Hoarders, and is the author of the book “The Hoarder in You: How to Live a Happier, Healthier, and Uncluttered Life.”